CHAPTER 38

Dean watched April for a while and ended up falling asleep beside her. The two lay on the bed together as the sun had set and the moon hung high in the dark sky. Stars lit up the sky and the moon cast a shadow on the two sleeping lovers. The shadow still and calm reflecting the delicate nature and innocence of the two that slept so blissfully.

Hours later when April stirred, she realised how warm and comfortable she was. She buried her head into the warmth and found the surrounding scent was both calming and familiar. She soon realised that the warmth was also breathing.

Her eyes snapped open and she looked up in a panic.

When she saw Dean fast asleep she was both shocked and relieved. As he slept he had both arms wrapped around her body protective, completely surrounding her. His eyelashes were as long as hers, his chin was slightly stubbly and he had a dark shadow cast on his chiselled jaw. This made him even more attractive and masculine.

It then dawned on her that he had left her wounded and in hospital, neither had she let him into her apartment either and now he was sleeping beside her, she was furious. She lifted her leg and was about to strike when her leg was held in place.

Dean had been awake all along and waited patiently for April to make her move before he did. He hoped she would embrace him back but due to her feisty nature, she had decided to kick him out of bed.

"Now now, no need to hurt the goods darling, you will only hurt yourself in the long run." Dean realises he was teasing her but he enjoyed her comebacks.

April smirked and let out a dry laugh, "As if there is anything of yours that is of any use to me. Hurt myself... I'd rather paint the whole condo with a qu-tip than have you anywhere near me." April released her venom, she was livid he left her hanging, worrying and wondering.

Dean had expected her response. She started to squirm away from him and he frowned. Did she forget that she was injured? He rolled on top of her body pinning her to the bed. He just wanted her not to open the stitches in her arm, but he realised their positions were a little dangerous.

April's face flushed instantly, "You... You devil. Get off me or I swear I will beat you."

Dean smiled, "Yes you're very intimidating."

April signed and puffed her cheeks out as she gave up struggling and lay there. After a few minutes, she looked up and saw Deans intimate and endearing gaze. Her frown disappeared and she took all of him in. Her soul reaching out to his. Her soul seemed drawn to him like a twin flame. They were both each others mirror, two half's of one soul.

She shook her head, she didn't deserve love. Maybe all we are meant to be is beautifully unfinished. Maybe we are a story without a true ending a love hanging in the balance. Still incandescent, never fully extinguished.

Dean saw her light diminish but he didn't know her thoughts so he spoke from his heart, "I am going to be completely honest with you... I can not JUST be friends with you. I fell in love with you. I can't just stop loving you. You are all I think about. I think about you when I wake in the morning, in the middle of the day my mind drifts to you and what you are doing. Then again late at night as I rest my head on my pillow you are in my thoughts again. It's you and will always be you. Thank you for making me believe I am able to love and be loved. Thank you for being patient with me. Thank you for sticking with me and protecting me. Thank you for all the memories we have made so far and yet to make together. I'll love you for eternity. What can I give you to prove myself that you have never had before?"

Dean was hovering over her body intimately as he has poured his heart out to her earnestly.

April thought about it for a while, her answer was simple. Consistency, "If you want to give me something no man has ever given to me, then don't give me mixed signals nor mixed emotions that leave me wondering. I'm tired of wondering. If you are going to be here with me, then be here, if you ever feel the need to leave, then stay gone. All I need from someone at this point is consistency... Would you not prefer the perfect girl?"

Dean knew her past and her inner worries so he interjected, "I don't want perfect I just need someone who won't give up on me that's it. Your eyes are my peace, your smile is my happiness, your lap is my comfort, your arms are my home. You are my world please understand that."

April thought for a moment in the past, she had thought that the man she would fall in love with would be kind and gentle with a smile that was like the spring breeze.

Now, she realized that she preferred decisiveness and unruliness. She preferred a man who was ruthless but gentle and cared only for her. Her divine counterpart in this life, she was unsure why they shared this intense connection. But she knew he was hers.

Knowing she was overthinking Dean opened up again. He could only persistently reassure her through his words and actions, "We only have two lives and we begin our second life when we realise we only get one life. So I'm not wasting any time. The thing is with thinking negatively, that negativity is like clouds that pass over the sun. So they will pass, let's not dwell on it and move past it."

April lay there staring up into his hazel eyes as they filled her with warmth and affection. This was the moment she could either keep running, keep avoiding her feelings or open her heart up again and maybe this time feel the love that she had always wanted and deserved.

"I.." Was all she could whisper before Dean leaned his head against her forehead stopping her instantly.

Dean wanted her truth, not her hesitation, "It's always been you I can't keep talking to you like we are just supposed to be just friends. My heart can't handle this anymore... You are what motivates me, you're the only one that keeps me stable right now and I am so drained over the fact that you may not accept my love for you."

April knew his sincerity by now, no man would say it so many times or do this much for a woman if he truly didn't love her. Her only insecurity lay within herself. Women like her who suffered through traumatic relationships are the hardest to love. So she wasn't sure if she wanted to put Dean through that.

Dean lifted his head and started at her frowning eyebrows. He knew she was overthinking. He flicked her forehead.

"Ouch... Why?" April asked as she rubbed her forehead frowning slightly.

Dean replied, "I crave you in the most innocent form. I crave to say good morning and give you forehead kisses. To be able to tell you I adore you when you feel at your worst. I crave you in ways where I just want to be next to you nothing more or less."

He wanted her. Her body. Her soul, her heart.

We all want that person that makes us calm in the soul and crazy in the flesh. She fell in love with the way he touched her soul.

"Okay." April blushed. It was a straightforward response but for April agreeing to give her heart to someone was petrifying. What she held back and kept inside her heart was also simple... Please don't break me.

Dean beamed and then he took her by the wrists and held her down on the bed. He leaned over and kissed her hard with all his passion and affection that he had held back. Then looking her straight in the eye he made one thing perfectly clear. You're mine.

April's heart pounded and she felt butterflies in her stomach. This was her first kiss in both lifetimes. Her thoughts were all muddled and all her questions and worries scattered with one breathless kiss.

Dean was over the moon he finally could say she was his. He left soft butterfly kisses over her face before saying, "At the end of the day I want it to be you and me. I want your late nights and early mornings. I want your good days and your bad ones. I want you when you're all dressed up and especially when you use one of my t-shirts as pyjamas. I want you when you're young and when you are old. I want you forever."

Deciding he better get up before he took things too far. He rolled off her and got up and off the bed. His heartfelt as light as his feet, he smiled at April and held out his hand to help her sit up.

April took his hand and sat up still in a slight daze she said, "I wasn't looking for anything at all when I met you. Actually, I never planned to love anyone again. But then I met you and that was it I guess." She shyly smiled and stood up beside him. She reached his chest, perfect height for cuddles she thought.

As if reading her thoughts Dean smirked and replied, "Hey... I hope you know you are cute. I wanna chill and watch nextflix with you and cuddle. I will also buy you food, so go shower. I would also like more kisses... and to touch your butt."

Dean then left her bedroom with a big smile. April stood frozen thinking of his last words she then rushed to her bathroom and shut the door quickly behind her. She turned on the hot water lever on the shower and leaned against the door.

"Shameless man." She said in a whisper to no one but herself. What did she just agree to? Did she just say yes to having a kissing, cuddling shameless man? Though she had no doubt about her decision she now questioned if her heart could cope with this overwhelming feeling of love.

She wasn't good with communicating her love to someone. In her last life, she gave her loved ones everything. But maybe she hadn't sealed off all of her love and affection. She had after all met Dean, Michael and Aarna. She chose to love them and get to know them. They had slowly worked their way into her heart.

She got in the shower and avoided the water on her bandage. She would have to visit the hospital to get the dressing changed in the morning. After her shower, she got dressed before making her way to her living room.

She had to wonder for a second if Dean was a dream. It seemed more likely. She opened her door and noticed Dean setting take out containers onto her coffee table. He warmly smiled up at her and she made her way to the table. So it wasn't a dream she thought.

On the tv Dean had a movie picked and it was currently paused. Maybe a shameless man wouldn't be a bad thing she thought.

Dean smiled and guided her to sit on the sofa. He sat down beside her and opened up the take out containers. April pulled a blanket around her and then wrapped it around Deans legs too. He smirked at her actions and she rolled her eyes.

"By the way, I rang my contractor," Dean announced as he handed her a glass of water.

"Getting your shower finally fixed?" April then took a sip of water.

"No, I'm knocking your wall through to join our condo's I can't live apart from my angel now that I'm yours and you're mine." Dean beamed at April.